Guwahati: The Coconut Development Board (CDB), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, organised an Export Promotion Meet in Guwahati. The event aimed at enhancing export opportunities for coconut and its value-added products from the Northeast region by connecting key stakeholders, including farmers, exporters, policymakers, and financial institutions, took place at the Assam Administrative Staff College, Khanapara.
Business North East (BNE) spoke to Hirak Jyoti Baishya, Deputy Manager of NERAMAC. “The Coconut Development Board is actively working on developing the coconut market for farmers and facilitating its presence in overseas markets. In this regard, NERAMAC plays a crucial role. As a government entity under the Ministry of DoNER, NERAMAC promotes agricultural produce across the Northeast and facilitates its marketing," he said.
“In Assam and other Northeastern states, coconut has been cultivated for decades. Almost every household has coconut trees, yet export commercialisation has largely been ignored. Traditionally, coconut cultivation is limited to meeting domestic needs. However, with the evolving global market, there is currently a growing demand for exporting coconut and its processed products. The primary agenda is to facilitate greater commercial utilisation of coconuts and enhance their value in the global market," he further said.
Additionally, Kaushik Dutta, head of the Federation of Indian Export Organisation, told BNE that this is the first-of-its-kind event organised by the Coconut Development Board for the promotion of coconut-based products for export. However, beyond exports, the focus is on the entire coconut value chain in the northeastern region, according to him.
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He further added, “The event has brought together entrepreneurs, farmer-producer companies (FPCs) and farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) to educate them on entering the export market. While the Northeast is not self-sufficient in coconut production—most coconuts are sourced from Southern India—there is immense potential to scale up production in this region.”
The initiative aligned with the government’s vision of boosting agri-exports and empowering farmers by providing them with better market linkages and financial support. The meeting also highlighted schemes and incentives available for exporters in the coconut sector.
Industry experts, policymakers and business leaders participated in this crucial dialogue aimed at strengthening the coconut export ecosystem in the region.
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